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TORONTO - Bryan Crawford can’t imagine how horrible he would have felt had he been told during his days at Queen’s that he could not play football for a year.

When the University of Waterloo suspended its football program on Monday for a year because of steroid use among some of its players, Crawford, an Argos running back, was stunned.

“Football is not just a couple of months,” Crawford said. “It’s year-round and (being told he could not play) would be difficult to take.

“You have to feel bad for the student athletes who were doing things the right way.

“We have to show that drug-free sport is paramount and maybe do a better job of educating student athletes to make all the right choices. The vast majority do.”

The Argos picked two Waterloo players in the 2010 draft — offensive tackle Joel Reinders (who signed with the Cleveland Browns) and offensive lineman Michael Warner. The latter remains on the roster.

“We would love to have him go back and play a year, and he is not going to get that chance,” Argos head coach Jim Barker said. “That’s sad.”

Crawford not only works for the OUA during the off-season but also is an Argos union rep. A drug-testing policy will be part of the new collective bargaining agreement that the CFL and its players are expected to ratify before the regular season begins on July 1.

“Athletes need to understand cheating through drug use is not the right way,” Crawford said. “I think it’s great we’re bringing it into the CFL, and I think that is the right direction to go.”